The Detroit Free Press reports that, in addition to concerns about pay?while the contract would provide bonuses, as well as pay raises for the lower-paid second-tier workers, it does not include a raise for first-tier workers, whose wages have been frozen for years?hourly workers are looking at the contrast between themselves and executives:
Many Ford workers also remain upset about the company's decision to restore merit pay raises to salaried workers in 2010 and the total compensation paid to Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally, whose package totaled $26.5 million in 2010.
The UAW has told locals to begin strike preparations in case the contract is rejected, but UAW leadership is also lobbying workers at plants that have not yet voted to tip the balance in favor of the contract. There's precedent for that:
In previous contracts, union members have occasionally rejected agreements early in the process, only to have the last voting factories support the deal overwhelmingly. A big swing factor could be the voting that concludes this weekend at Local 600 in Michigan, which represents about 6,000 workers at Ford?s Rouge assembly complex.?The early votes tend to reflect anger over what?s not in the contract,? said Mr. Shaiken. ?The later votes tend to reflect a more realistic view that this is the agreement they are going to get.?
If workers reject the contract, the UAW and Ford may return to the bargaining table, but union leaders and outside experts say that's unlikely to change much; otherwise, workers may go on strike or Ford may lock them out.
Originally posted to Daily Kos Labor on Fri Oct 14, 2011 at 07:30 AM PDT.
Also republished by Daily Kos.
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